Mamma, can you pray?

From the mouth of my almost four year old, baby girl.

Oh, how I had longed to hear those words or any words, coming from the mouth of a child that was mine.

There are certain things we don’t know miss out on but when we receive them, we realize that it was once a hole we had in our heart. I had longed for children for a long time but, I tried so hard never to let my mind travel down the road of specifics or details because when I did, it left me in a big messy puddle. Somewhere deep down I had unknowingly longed to hear those words and when it happened, another part of me felt like it had been healed.

Of course I can pray, Allie.

As my eyes filled, I scrambled on the inside to pull it together so that I could bring my little girl into a conversation with me and my Dad. I didn’t want her to think this was a time to be sad so, I says to myself I says, “stuff it, Jennifer!”.

People say all the time that kids will model after their parents and, they couldn’t be more right. But it’s not just the attitudes and words they pick up, it’s how you treat others, how we let others treat us and, how we treat ourselves. It’s the intimate times we have at home with our families and more importantly, that we spend time with God. They need to see the presence of God come down from Heaven and meet us where we are. My daughter needs to see just how much God loves me. She won’t forget how much my Dad cares for me if she can feel it and see the beautiful result of it.

Some day I plan on telling her how He rescued me. For now, we just talk about how good He is and how helpful He is. She can’t possibly understand what I have learned about God but, I do know that she knows He is here. Some of the things she has said to us about God has caused an immediate emotional reaction. I can’t type it all out but, I do know she hears from Him. Not the kid of stuff anyone would teach a three year old and in fact, I know no one has. She knows stuff she couldn’t possibly know. It’s so cool to listen to her.

Now, she prays at the dinner table every night or, anytime we have a meal. Somehow she thinks this is her role and if you’ve joined us at the table and you hear another adult pray over the meal, it’s not over until Allie prays because well, it’s “her” job. Lol. She will wait until you’re done but, she has to do it and she has to do it last. We just love her so much.

Her brother was named after someone who was an intercessor. I knew very early on that this would be his life. A quiet, humble being with fiery prayers. One that seeks no recognition or praise from man but, only God. Allie says “when Nash prays, Heaven will open up and Jesus will come down.” It gives me chills to think about. We never told her why we chose that name. But, she knows what he’s going to do and it is in fact why we chose that name. She can’t wait to teach him how to pray. She can’t wait to teach him how to use the toilet, lol.

For now his name is many things. Nash potatoes (because when he was 18 weeks old, his doc said he was already the size of a one year old), Nashy poo, Nashy stink and Allie’s favorite, Nashy baby. He seems to love it. He loves everything, especially food. Haha.

He loves hair too… Good Lord, don’t let him get a grip on it! Ouch.

It’s a beautiful opportunity to be able to pray with a child. Their pure, untainted, sponge-like information vault that can hear the Lord as clear as they can hear birds on a warm summer day.

I can only pray to have that clarity now. Too much of ME always gets in the way.

A childlike prayer (and faith) can’t ever be outgrown. It all starts with “Daddy….” and it can be as simple as the prayer of a three year old. Imagine the kind of faith a child has, not having any reason to doubt that what she asks for won’t come to pass. I pray we would all have that kind of faith. That’s the faith where doubt ceases to exist. We need that in this life.

Pray like a child. Have faith like a child. God is the provider of all things. His presence is a place where doubt cannot exist and His provision is tangible.

Until next time,

– Jennie

“You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭16:11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬